Valve cap



D. W. MANNHARDT.

VALVE CAP. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 17, 192i.

Patented Sefit 26, 1922.

jwvntor pmlz/wfiwm Witness #1 brneys I, is "not disconnected therefrom during mounted; and 1; Figure e shows a "rotatably in ounted :beinguornitted for permitting better illustrationt ofthe parts shown, Itfis well-known that f inner stems, which Patented Sept. as, 1922.

'L%ew2 earner VALVE GATE.

' Application filed October 17, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL WV. llLtNN HARDT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Washington, in the county of Washingto'n and State of lowa, have invented aeertain new and useful Valve Cap, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an attachment for valve stems, particularly thoseused on inner tubes employed on motor vehicles. 7

The purpose ofniy invention is to provide'a'valve steni cap of simple construction, which will ei'lectually prevent the en tranceof dust or other foreign matter likely to interfere with the proper operation of the valve in the stem;

Still'a further object is to provide such a valve stem cap, which is adapted to be mounted. on the valve stem in such m that it will not be accidentally lost oil? and period the tube is in use.

An additional object is to provide such a: cap which takes the place of theordinary vali' e-stein cap and; also of the dust cap, andWhich can be quickly and easily inoved to position :tor putting air in the tube, and returnedzto' position for closing and protecting the valve stein; 4 I

With'these and other objects" in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangenient'and combinationwof the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in claims, and illustrated in the accompanying draivin s; in which: 1 1..il igure 1 shows a vertical, sectional view through a valve cap, embodying. invention, installed on a valve stem.

Figure; 2 shows top or plan view of the same withlthe cap tiltedto allowaccess to the valve stem:

FigiureB shows a vertical, sectional view through, thenut on which my valve cap is perspective view of the which is pivotally and nut and the, yoke,-

thereon', the. other parts tubes for motor vehicles -tires are inadewith valve valve stemsare used for holding air into; the tube and for permitting air to be forced into the tube.

threaded 1. Thus bynsing the at their outer ends Serial No; 503,127.

In commercial practice, valve stems are made in two distinct sizes. {In Figure 1, I have shown a portion of an ordinary valve steinoif the larger size, which I have indicated the reference character 19. In Figure 3, I have shown one of the small Stems, indicated by the character 11. i

The valve stems l0 and 11 are screwthreaded on their exteriors and have at their ends, reduced, externally screwupper threaded portions 12. Ordinarily, the reduced portion 12 is covered by a small cap and the larger dust cap is then screwed on the body of the stem 10 or 11; I i

I provide as apart of my device, anut 13, annular in its outline, and having on its un er side, central recess 1 1, clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The nut 13 has a central, upn' ardly, extending cylindrical. extension 15, and-said extension and n'ut are internally screw-threaded to fit the larger sizesof stems 10,

It may be said in this connection that on allo'f'the tubesthat use the sinaller stenis 11, there is provided a nut 16, sirnilarin general form to that already described, but smaller. Tl e nut 16 has-an extension 1'7, similar to v the extension 15;;which is screwternally' externally." lnthe standard sizes; now co ninonlyused, sleeve .1? will snuglyfitinto the sleeve 15, as shown in il igure 3;

nut

v I y I v 16 which is urnished with the tube, it is possible to apply iny device by screwing the nut 13 on the nut 16.

. Onthe exterior of the extension 15 near the upper part thereof is an annular groove 18.4111 the gr0ove18 are mounted half rings,19,,hav ng at theirad acent ends, corresponding,

outwardly, projectinglugs 20. l-provide a yoke, having the arms 21pmvided with holes at their free ends, through which the" lugs or cars 20 are extended. Saidlugs or ears are then slightly flattened i for holding the arms in position.

a 'lhe nieinbers 19 will rotate freely in thegroove 18.

For convenience 1n. description, lhave described the parts herein, as though the stern lO'and the valve cap were upright. The u ever oart or the voke 2.1 ma 1 be of A l o 3 any suitable shape, butinaylia ve therer'm of a cylinder 22 having thefproiecting arms flange secured to the ring members 19 and cut away between the arms to permit the yoke to tilt over the valve stem without being interfered with thereby.

in the exterior of the yoke at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 22 18 an annular rib or flange 23. I

I provide a cover casing, compr1s1ng a casing 24 open at itslower end and having a closed upper end. At the lower end, the

casing 24 may be provided with an internal Telescopically mounted with relation to the casing 24 is a. casing member 27, having its upper end received in the easing 2st and provided with an external flange The flanges 26 and 28 prevent the casings 24 and 2? from Sliding entirely apart. v

i The casing 27 is slipped over the extension 15 and the lower part of the yoke 21, as shown in Figure 1. A coil spring 29 is mounted in the casing 24, surrounding the yoke 21 and the portion 22 thereof and is held between the flange and the flange 28 and normally tends to force the two casings to the limit of their extended position, asshown in Figure 1. 1

Fixed to the cover 25 of the casing 24 is a stem 30, which extends downwardly within the casing and has at its lower end, a cap 31 internally screw-threaded to lit the reduced extension 12, and adapted to form a valve stem cap. The stem- 30 is slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper end of the yoke 21, as shown in Figure 1.

Seated within the cap 31 is a suitable gas ket 32, which is designedto engage the upper end of the reduced extension 12 and is pro vided in its under side with a recess 33 to receive the upper end of the stem 34 on the valve in the so-called valve stem 10.

It is of course understood that what has been called herein the valve stem 10is really the valve casing.

In the practical installation and use of my improved valve cap, the device is completely asembled. The nut 13 is screwed onto the valve stem or valve casing 10 until the cap 31 stands just above and slightly spaced from the extension 12. Thereupon the casing 2 1 is forced downwardly, until it can be freely rotated for screwing the cap 31 on the extension 12. I

When it is desired to inflate the tube, the casing 2 l is rotated for thereby unscrewing the cap 31. The casing may then be forced upwardly, compressingthe spring 29, until the cap 31 and casing 27 may clear the eX- tension 12, whereupon the casing members and yoke may be tilted and the entire casing will clear the valve stem and leave it free of access for putting air in the tube.

After the tube has been filled with air, the casing can be pulled upwardly, and the cap 31 screwed into position.

and to said second casing and It has been my purpose to make a device of the kind under consideration, which will be of universal use with all valve stems now made and employed with the various types of tubes sold.

The valve stems and casings vary, both as to size and as to length as illustrated in Figures 1 and I have provided for the variation in size (diameter) by making the nut 13 and extension 15 of such internal diame ter as to fit on the extension 17.

By providing the telescoping casing members and arranging the other parts as here in shown, I have made it possible to mount my caps on stems of difierent lengths, and yet at all times to entirely cover the exposed part of the stem, so as to keep out dust and to give the device a proper appearance.

If the stem on which the device is to be installed is a short one, the casing member 17 can be forced upwardly into the casing member 2 1- and the cap 31 may still be properly installed in position. long one, the spring 29 will extend the two casing members, as shown in Figure 1'.

Owing to the fact that the nut 13 may become tight, when screwed against the rim of the wheel at different points in its rotation, it is important to mount the operative parts of my cap rotatably on the nut, so that they may be rotated on the nut, and then swung to the-position shown for instance in Figure 2, without being interfered with by the spokes of the rim. The rim of the wheel is indicated at 35 in Figure- 2.

The casing 2 1 is rotatable with relation If the stem is a to the yoke for permitting the cap 31 to be easily screwed onto the extension12.

It will be seen that I have provided a valve stem casing cap, which is .of simple construction. I I

The arrangement of the spring, which bears against the casing members of my device and against the yoke makes the spring and the parts connected therewith, serve as a lock to prevent the accidental unscrewing of the cap 31.

I claim as my invention:

'1. In a valve stem cap, be mounted on a valve stem casing, a yoke device having arms pivotally :mounted on said nut for rotation thereon, a slidable tubular casing for the ends of said arms, which are secured to the nut, a second tubular casing snugly telescopically mounted on the first casing, said casings having coacting outwardly and to limit their relative sliding movement, a valve stem cap, a stem secured tosaid cap slidably mounted in said yoke device, a spring stop on said yoke device, and a spring within said tubular casing between said stop and said a nut designed to i be mounted on a valve stem casing, a yoke device having arms pivotally and rotatably mounted on said nut but not movable longitudinally thereof, a casing yieldingly telescopically mounted on said yoke device, a valve stem cap, a stem thereon slidably and rotatably extended through said yoke de vice and fixed to said casing.

3. A cap for inner tube valve stems or casings and the like, comprising a threaded nut, having a reduced portion, a yoke mounted thereon for pivotal and rotary movement but not for longitudinal movement, a casing receiving said yoke, closed at its outer end, a stem secured at one end to the closed end of said casing and having at its other end a valve stem cap, and means for yieldingly connecting said casing and yoke.

4. A cap for inner tube valve stems or casings and the like, comprising a threaded nut having a reduced portion, a yoke mounted thereon for pivotal and rotary movement,- a casing receiving said yoke,

closed at its outer end, a stem secured at one end to the closed end of said casing and having at its other end a valve stem cap, said casing being made of two parts telescopically connected, means for yieldingly connecting one of said casing parts and said yoke and for tending to hold the casing parts at the limit of their telescopic movement in one direction.

5. A cap for valve stem casings and the like, comprising a threaded nut, a yoke pivoted thereon, a casing receiving said yoke, said casing being adapted in one of its positionsto sit on said nut, a valvestem cap having a stem fixed to said cap and slidably and rotatably extended through said yoke, and a yielding member interposed between the yoke and the casing.

6. In a device oi the class described, a nut designed to be mounted on a valve stem casing, a yoke having its arms pivoted to said nut, a casing receiving said yoke, said yoke having a flange at its upper end, said casing having a flange at its lower end, and a spring interposed between the casing and the yoke and between said flanges, whereby when the device is installed on a valve stem casing and the spring is expanded, the casing will sit on the nut, and when the casing is drawn away from the nut, the spring is contracted and the casing and yoke may be swung on the pivotal. connection of the yoke clear of a valve stem casing.

DANIEL W. MANNHARDT, 

